Posted by By PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi on
Three students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi have had their lives brutally cut short by unidentified attackers suspected to be members of secret cult. The incident, which happened on Sunday morning turned Francis Okpe, a final year student of Electrical/Electronics, Abel Olema NDII student of Management and Finance and another simply identified as Maxwell into tragic victims.
Three students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi have had their lives brutally cut short by unidentified attackers suspected to be members of secret cult. The incident, which happened on Sunday morning turned Francis Okpe, a final year student of Electrical/Electronics, Abel Olema NDII student of Management and Finance and another simply identified as Maxwell into tragic victims.
The tragedy is described as unprecedented in the school's history.
The identity of the attackers remains shrouded in mystery but some believed the victims were eliminated in a gang war involving rival cult groups.
Daily Sun learnt that the final year student, Okpe was dragged out of his room and butchered during the raid of Integrity and Awolowo complexes, housing the students off campus.
Olema, the ND II student, according to eyewitnesses, was also brutally slaughtered, while Maxwell who could not be placed as a student was also killed in the attack.
Victor Ofon, 22, another student who was also attacked survived with serious machete injuries.
The witness said the cultists struck in a commando style operation at about 3am and dealt severe injuries on their victims.
Invading the campuses like wild fire, the cultists allegedly attacked the Integrity complex where they assaulted the three occupants of the room before proceeding to the Awolowo complex. There, the assailants descended on Maxwell whom they reportedly dragged out and slaughtered like a ram, leaving him to die in the pool of his blood.
Students of the institution described the killing as the most brutal offensive ever experienced, as blood of victims were left all over the wall of the rooms they attacked.
"There was blood everywhere like water. They did not die in their rooms, they might have been dragged out and after the initial attack in the rooms we had a hectic time pouring sand to cover the blood to ward off flies," a student who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Victor was, however, taken to the Specialist Hospital Bauchi, where he is presently recuperating. Hospital officials said he could hardly talk as his chin had been stitched. According to students who spoke on condition of anonymity, the victims of the cult attack were friends whose company had been fun, adding that they were easy going and got along well with fellow students.
According to those who spoke to Daily Sun, they always came back to the hostel at odd hours of the night.
The death of Francis Okpe was painful as he was in his final year reading Elect/Elect
He was described as brilliant. Abel Ocheme was nicknamed "White man" because of his light complexion, while Abel was described as quiet and handsome and very popular with the girls.
He was said to have asked his mother to forgive him before he gave up.
Announcing the death of the students, the management of the Federal Polytechnic condoled with their families in a statement.
It, however, blamed parents for the rising misbehaviors among students manifesting in cultism, and other vices
The rector, Surveyor Ibrahim Jahun, lamented that stamping out cultism was a challenging task.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Sun, Jahun said over 90 percent of the students stay off campus.
"It would be easier to monitor them and they would conduct themselves better if the situation was different. It could have been our wish to accommodate 50 percent of students but currently, we can only accommodate 10 percent of the students' population".
The Police Public Relations Officer, Umaru Abdullahi said the police are still investigating. No arrest has been made yet, he stated.